01/27/2010

Senior Bowl Preview Part 2

Before I get into the South roster, and which players Falcons fans in particular should be watching Saturday, I'd like to thank NFL Network for its coverage of the week's practices. For pathetic losers like myself, it's great mid-afternoon viewing. Mark Mayock, in particular, keeps me in stitches with his creative vocabulary. Where else could we hear Dexter McCluster compared to Percy Harvin in terms of "explosion and propulsion"? (The NFL, where propellers happen!)

Propellers aside, let's take a look at some players to watch from the South:

South Team

Eric Norwood, OLB, South Carolina- Norwood is more of an undersized defensive end than a true outside linebacker, but he rushes the passer like few others in this draft. Whether or not he can play in the 4-3 remains to be seen, but the Falcons could take a shot at Norwood if he's there in the mid-rounds. Paired with Abraham on passing downs, he could greatly assist in getting pressure on the quarterback, which was a glaring weakness of the team this year. Projected Round: 3rd

Cameron Sheffield and Brandon Lang, LB/DE, Troy- I mention these two together because as a tandem they were highly productive in college, combining for 14.5 sacks. Troy has a proud tradition of pass rushers which includes DeMarcus Ware and Osi Umenyiora. Sheffield is practicing as a linebacker in Mobile, and its unclear if Lang has the size to be a 4-3 defensive end either, but they've both had solid weeks of practice and could be solid pass-rush options in the draft's second day. Projected Round: 3rd-5th

Jimmy Graham, TE, Miami- There are several solid tight end prospects on the South roster, including Alabama's Colin Peek and USC's Anthony McCoy. But Graham is intriguing for two reasons: his 6'6 255 frame, and the fact that like Tony Gonzalez, he's a converted hoops player. Graham averaged 18 minutes a game for the Hurricanes basketball team before trying football as a senior. This is certainly a project but the athleticism and untapped potential is tantalizing. In a loaded tight end class, he could be there for rounds 4 or 5. Projected Round: Late 3rd/4th